Friday, January 23, 2009

Lessons in architecture

I'm mildly surprised that environmental conditions as simple as snow and ice plague new architecture. After all, people have been designing and constructing buildings for thousands of years.

Across the street on Block 89 is a brand new building. Beautiful and functional. But it rains down snow and ice on the innocent pedestrians of Madison every time there is a snow fall. This isn't the fluffy drift kind either. It rains down ice chunks the size of my fist that collect on the handsome yet dysfunctional ledges of the exterior. They've taken to roping off the sidewalks around the building.

Ironically it appears (from up high) that the ledges actually have a subtle incline. Probably enough keep rain water moving, but a nasty combination for melting ice and snow. Flat enough to collect, but not enough to keep it stationary as it softens.